Padre Tom LampingNOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GODA Tribute to FathersAs we celebrate Father’s Day this weekend, we pay tribute to all of those men who have been father figures for us. There are many men who fill the role of father for us. Besides our own fathers there are stepfathers, grandfathers, uncles, adopted fathers and male friends that have that special father-like relationship with us.

Being the history and trivia buff that I am, I could not resist doing a bit of research into the history of this great day when we pay tribute to our fathers.

Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909, while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.

The first Father’s Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. At about the same time in various towns and cities across America other people were beginning to celebrate a “father’s day.” In 1924 Presient Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father’s Day. Finally in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. President Richard Nixon signed the law which finally made it permanent in 1972.

In the Scriptures we see the special relationship between Jesus and his foster father, St. Joseph. Even though the Bible does not give us many details about Joseph, it gives us enough to know that he was a very faith-filled man who cared very deeply for Jesus and his mother, Mary. He had so much faith that he, like Mary, was able to believe the incredible news that the child that Mary carried was “conceived by the Holy Spirit”. He trusted God enough that when the angel warned him in a dream to flee to Egypt with Mary and the child, Jesus, he quickly arose and fled with his beloved family in the middle of the night. He used his trade of carpenter to support his family and taught that trade to Jesus. And when Jesus was lost when he was twelve years old, Joseph did not rest until he found Jesus in the Temple.

By the example of his life, St. Joseph is a model for fathers in many ways. He worked hard to provide for his family, and at the same time was an important presence in his family’s life. He cared for his family and was an example of strength and love for them. He was a loving husband and father.

Jesus also had a very close relationship with God, his Father in Heaven. The example of Mary and Joseph was instrumental in helping Jesus develop this special relationship with God when he was a small child at Nazareth. The place of prayer in their home and their diligent teaching of the Scriptures, helped Jesus grow and prepare himself for his public ministry.

Jesus depended on his close relationship with God his Father to give him the strength and direction to fulfill his ministry on Salvation. Jesus’ teachings were based on the Jewish Scriptures, which he studied as a child.

Jesus also depended on his Father in times of weakness and rejection. There are several examples of Jesus going off by himself to pray, when he would ask his Father for strength and clarity for his mission. He went off into the desert for forty days after his Baptism to prepare for his ministry. There he was tempted by the devil and had his faith tested. He went to pray in the garden on Holy Thursday night before he was arrested and asked for strength to see his mission through. He would often go away from the crowds to pray when he was tired and his strength spent. We also need to “recharge” ourselves as Jesus did when we feel tired, drained and “stressed out”. We need to turn to our Heavenly Father in prayer.

In a way, Jesus also filled a fatherly role in the preparation of the twelve Apostles to carry on his ministry. Many times the Apostles did not understand Jesus’ parables and he would take them aside and explain things to them, just as a father would take his child aside to explain things and answer their questions.

On this Fathers’ Day, let us pray for our fathers, living and deceased. Let us thank the Lord in a very special way for the men who have been like St. Joseph and Jesus to us. For those who have taught us to pray and understand our faith. For those who have provided and cared for us. For those who have protected us in times of danger and have calmed us in times of fear. Let us pardon them for the times that they may have hurt us or not been there when we needed them.

Happy Fathers’ Day to all our DadsFathers everywhere - We honor you and wish to sayMay God’s blessings be with you in a special way today!From a father’s strength we learn so we may teachOur children to be kind and caring with everyone they meet.When times are rough your guiding hand points the way to goMay we follow in your footsteps right from wrong our actions show.Now, on this Father’s Day our tributes go to youFathers, grandpas, uncles, brothers all our dear friends, too.